Aug. 15, 2008

PHOTO GALLERY

KENOSHA, Wis. -- Northwestern ran the first of two practices Friday morning at UW-Parkside in preparation for its annual Camp Kenosha scrimmage to be held at 3 p.m. CT Saturday, Aug. 16, at Carthage College. Everyone is invited to come watch Saturday's scrimmage.

The Wildcats' workout Friday morning was a short, 12-period affair featuring 7-on-7 drills and thud scrimmaging. NU will have a walkthrough Friday afternoon in its final session before the Saturday scrimmage.

Following the morning practice Friday, NU held its "official" cannonball competition -- as opposed to the apparent "unofficial" version won by Evan Luxenburg earlier in the week. The contest proved to be no contest at all as Luxenburg maintained his crown, winning both the cannonball and the belly flop competitions in convincing fashion. Check out the photo gallery to see the 'Cats in action, as well a surprise appearance by one of NU's assistant coaches.

On the seventh day since the 'Cats arrived in Kenosha last Friday, senior wide receiver Ross Lane and sophomore linebacker Quentin Davie talked about the progress made so far during Camp:

Q&A with senior wide receiver Ross Lane

Q: How has camp been thus far in 2008?
A: It has been fun, this has definitely been the best camp so far in my five years. The team has come together so well and we all really want to win. It has been obvious.

Q: Are you guys having more fun up here than you have in the past?
A: Yeah, but I mean Kenosha is always fun. Like I said, we are just coming together as a team with that goal of winning, and that has made it special.

Q: Talk about the receiver corps and how they have progressed.
A: We've got four seniors, some other older guys. We have a lot of talent this year, especially with Eric (Peterman) and Rasheed Ward and (Andrew) Brewer, who has been coming on strong after his injury last year. We've got a lot.

Q: Is this the best overall group of receivers you've played with here?
A: I don't like to look backward at all, but yeah, right now we are looking really good.

Q&A with sophomore linebacker Quentin Davie

Q: What have your impressions of Camp Kenosha been so far this year?
A: Right now Camp has been going good, I see progress every day from the standpoint of from the first day to now.

Q: Have the linebackers been coming together well?
A: Yeah, my group has really been coming together. At times, we see glimpses of the best linebacker corps that I've ever seen, but then we snap out of it. We just need to have that consistency and we will be a force.

Q: Does the fact Coach Fitz is a former linebacker help that process?
A: Yeah, he focuses on every little thing to make us a smart football player. He gives us all the keys we need to be successful.

Q: How is the defense as a whole maturing under Coach Hankwitz?
A: The defense is getting really good this year. We kind of made it simpler, but again we are attacking more. Everybody is coming along and everybody is learning their job and executing it to the best of their abilities.

Q: How is the competition between the offense and the defense?
A: Oh, it is deep. We've got a lot of competition. We have a competition in the locker room and when we walk out onto the field where you see us chanting and singing songs against each other, so it has been fun but we are still competing every day.

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